My parents, Geoff and Dawn Dibdin, encouraged me to fulfil my childhood passion for flying, by funding half the cost of each lesson while I earned the rest in the school holidays. I started at Griffith Aero Club from age 16, and soloed in 1973 while still too young to drive. Appreciation for my instructors Ron Gibbons and Rob Kuypers and thank you to Mum and Dad.
1973 – My first solo was in VH-ARC Piper Cherokee 140 at Griffith NSW.19-20 July 1980 in Piper Arrow VH-CUH, flew Aaron Blomeley to Mudgee then hopped over to Dubbo to visit Uncle Colin, Auntie Allaine and cousins Steve, Ruth, Fiona and Glen.In 1980 my future wife, Yung, courageously came with me in a Grumman Lynx to meet my parents in Griffith. This photo taken at Camden airport 14 September 1980.Privileged to have been a Flight Service Officer for 22 years, including 1989-1991 on Norfolk Island.
Above: The Norfolk Island Flight Service Unit, where 3 of us and the radio tech provided communication and traffic information services for flights in and out. Air New Zealand sent 2 B737s per week. East West Airlines sent 3 F28s from Sydney and I think 1 from Brisbane. Norfolk Airlines came daily via Lord Howe Island in a Super King Air. Military flights, ferry flights from the US, the occasional B727 freighter.
With Mr Stephen Hall and a co-worker, Bankstown Airport 2003Helping Mehrzad Mumtahan and Naysan Naraqi with a film and media project in 2004Friends, Peter de Nadai and (not pictured) Val de Nadai.Work colleague, John Walker, on 22 October 2005 In July 2003 I took Danny’s friend Ben for a Sydney Harbour scenic in Cessna C177 Cardinal VH-WWZ. It was Ben’s first flight in a light aircraft, but he had taught himself the basics on Microsoft Flight Simulator. That was fine until he became inexplicably concerned about my ability to land the aircraft and he reached for the controls a few seconds before the landing. Me: “Thanks Ben, but I think I’ll be okay from here.” (The above picture is from the December 2020 issue of Australian Flying.)
My multi-engine endorsement on 21 December 2003 was in Beechcraft BE76 Duchess VH-JRT, with Whitworth Aviation, Bankstown. (This picture courtesy of Google Images)
With Herald Derakshan. Herald only had the use of one arm, and he was using that to manage a sick-bag, but somehow – competent photographer that he was – he took some stunning images of the Baha’i Temple in Ingleside NSW.Photo by Herald DerakhshanArriving Parkes Airport October 2004Flight to Parkes NSW for a 30-year Parkes High School class reunion October 2004. My childhood home for 13 years (before we moved to Griffith in Jan 1972) was at 68 Orange Street Parkes which is visible close to the High SchoolCircular Quay, Sydney October 2005. Photo by John Walker On a fine day with a great aircraft (C182) it’s a satisfying way to spend an hour. Photo by John Walker Oct 2005 South Head, Sydney Harbour, Photo by John Walker Oct 2005 C182 VHMIG Instrument Panel, returning from a Sydney scenic flight via Stanwell Park and Appin to Bankstown, descending through 2,200ft. Photo by John Walker Oct 2005
Piper Dakota departure from Bankstown Airport in 200626 January 2021 C182 VH-SGU over Port Elliot SA. Gaby and cousin Angela are holidaying with Darcy’s family in the caravan park.July 2021 with my sister Linda Ziaei, visiting cousin Rebecca at Booleroo Centre Airstrip in SARockwood Homestead near Booleroo Centre, SA, where my mum’s mother, Marjorie Duncan (nee Brooks), was born. The house and farm are well cared-for by Brooks descendant Rebecca Hombsh and husband David and their children.C182 VHBQG departure Bankstown for Bathurst 6Nov2021 (video by QJ)Enroute Bankstown to Bathurst to see Barry, Margaret, Steve and Dagmar 6 Nov 2021 (photo by QJ)Approaching Kangaroo IslandIrene and MarjorieReturning via Victor Harbor6 December 2021, in C182 VH-LHB, with my sister Marjorie and friends Irene and Jockie from Mt Barker, SA, a day trip from Murray Bridge to Kingscote on Kangaroo Island for lunch, and return via Victor Harbor. 24 December 2021, Cihangir, Birol and Erol lend moral support as I pull the plane from the hangar. The passengers are evidently relaxed.Peak Hill MinePeak Hill TownshipApproaching Parkes Airport9 January 2022 – From Parkes, over Wiradjuri country, and return, with Central West locals Anissa, James and Nelly.26 January 2022 with Martin Townsend visiting the extraordinary HARS Aviation Museum https://hars.org.au/ near Wollongong.
7 May 2022 over Bathurst enroute to Parkes in Archer TX VH-XHE (click to see video)
Good friend Clive Hawken from Cookamidgera 7 May 2022Scenic of Clive’s Farm, and an orbit of schoolfriend David’s home 7 May 2022.
From 4-18 December 2022 flying a Piper Archer III from Sydney (Bankstown) to Broken Hill and return, via Dubbo, Coonamble, Parkes, Cobar, Wilcannia, White Cliffs, Deniliquin, Griffith, Orange, Bathurst, Dubbo and Bathurst again. Images and videos here: https://colindibdin.com/outback/
7 March 2023 flying a C172P from Murray Bridge to visit a friend in Tintinara SA. Images and videos here: colindibdin.com/tintinara/
Scenic Flights
2 May 2023 With Aiden (from Brisbane), Noosha and Isabella (from the USA), Dalia (from Germany), Parviz (from Vanuatu, now Sydney) and Mona (from Melbourne, now Sydney) taking the group photo. The aircraft is VH-XCW, Piper Archer TX from Sydney Flight College https://www.sfcaero.com.au/
The orbits are at the Baha’i House of Worship, and Sydney HarbourThe grounds of the National Baha’i Centre, looking immaculate thanks to our youth volunteers from Brisbane, the USA and Germany.Looking north from near the Baha’i Temple towards Palm Beach and Barrenjoey Lighthouse.
A beautiful day except for the weather
29 May 2023 – Top friend Martin Townsend and I planned to visit the Aviation Museum in Temora but westward from Bankstown Airport was slow going with a 40kt headwind over the Blue Mountains, and then we had to turn back due to a “wall” of unexpectedly low cloud west of Lithgow. Washing the plane (an Archer TX with G1000 panel) on return, the weather back in Sydney was fine.
From 14-21 July 2023 flying a Cessna 182T from Sydney (Bankstown) with my cousin Steve to Canberra, Wagga, Deniliquin, Parkes, Dubbo, Lightning Ridge, Walgett, Coonamble, Dubbo, Tamworth, Armidale, Coffs Harbour and back. Images and videos here: Outback Visits July 2023
Harbour Scenic with Dalia and Dallas
17 February 2024 – via the Baha’i House of Worship where Dalia and Dallas care for the environment and gardens.
Air Traffic Control cleared us to orbit the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge
Parramatta, shortly after departure from Bankstown Airport
From October 2023 to March 2024 I visited friends in Murray Bridge, Tintinara, Whyalla, Rockwood station near Booleroo Centre, Wilcannia, Broken Hill, Parkes, Dubbo, Bathurst, Wagga Wagga and Tumut. Images and videos here: https://colindibdin.com/outback3/
Below: Article published in the “Close Call” section of the March 2008 edition of Australian Flight Safety Magazine. The heading “Tanks for Nothing” was not my idea, but makes sense if you read it.
My one and only parachute jump was in 1985 using a static line (ie not tandem and not free fall.) After exiting the plane (a Britten Norman Islander) the static line pulled the pilot chute out which pulled the main canopy out, which inflated and then I was on my own and able to steer it reasonably close to the landing zone at Wilton airstrip south of Sydney.
Sequel to my parachute experience. Not a “flying” story, but an attempt in 1986 to convince my UNSW philosophy lecturer that I did not jump – I was pushed:
